Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices »

Sorting out truth from tradition

Many Christians take for granted that their church’s practices are rooted in Scripture. Yet those practices look very different from those of the first-century church. The New Testament is not silent on how the early church freely expressed the reality of Christ’s indwelling in ways that rocked the first-century world.

Times have changed. Pagan Christianity leads us on a fascinating tour through church history, revealing this startling and unsettling truth: Many cherished church traditions embraced today originated not out of the New Testament, but out of pagan practices. One of the most troubling outcomes has been the effect on average believers: turning them from living expressions of Christ’s glory and power to passive observers. If you want to see that trend reversed, turn to Pagan Christianity . . . a book that examines and challenges every aspect of our contemporary church experience.

Acknowledgments     xiii
Preface   Frank Viola     xvii
Introduction: "What Happened to the Church?"   George Barna     xxv
Have We Really Been Doing It by the Book?     1
The Church Building     9
The Order of Worship     47
The Sermon     85
The Pastor     105
Sunday Morning Costumes     145
Ministers of Music     157
Tithing and Clergy Salaries     171
Baptism and the Lord's Supper     187
Christian Education     199
Reapproaching the New Testament     221
A Second Glance at the Savior     243
Afterword: The Next Step     253
Final Thoughts: Q&A with Frank Viola and George Barna     261
Summary of Origins     271
Key Figures in Church History     277
Bibliography     281
About the Authors     293